Chp 3- Joseph: From slave to deputy Pharaoh (4 Perspectives)

Perspective 1- Jade Miller
​In Chapter 3 of The Story, the story of the twelve sons of Jacob takes place. Talk about brotherly love, Joseph found himself at the bottom of a well and then sold off to slave traders just because his brothers were jealous of him! Eventually, Joseph went through several promotions and became second-in-command of all of Egypt.

​Before the promotion, Joseph probably wondered whether he was going to be killed and what good, if any, would come out of being isolated in a dark gloomy jail cell in Egypt.

​Sometimes when I’m troubled, it feels like I’m sitting in a jail cell. I hope that through God’s people, like Joseph and his brothers, I would remember that during times of trouble God is still with me and that He will use my life for His perfect plan.

Perspective 2- Pastor Ron
What was the first thing Joseph thought when he saw his brothers for the first time after they had sold him as a slave? Over 20 years has elapsed since the day they threw him in a hole and contemplated killing him. Now they stand before him and because of all of his Egyptian garb, they do not recognize him. In 20 years you can build up a lot of bitterness. Look at all the pain he went through in Egypt, the false charges that landed him in jail for all of those years—all because the men standing before him sold him as a slave.

Scripture really doesn’t reveal to us what he thought or what pain he felt. We know that he gave them a very bad time accusing them of being spies. I suppose I had not thought much of that before, but maybe that was his way of getting back at them…“Watch them sweat for a while after all the years I served in prison because of them!” No doubt Joseph wanted to see if his brothers had changed at all, but I’m not so sure it started with such pure motives. Joseph is no saint. Remember, he flaunted his expensive robe and drove home the point that one day his older brothers would bow down to him. There must have been at least a moment of sweet revenge.

Sometimes I think we forget that the men and women in scripture are real people who struggle with much of the same issues that we struggle with. We may not be very proud of our motives at times, but living this side of heaven, it is just a reality—we are sinful people, and so was Joseph. Of course, Joseph did not stay in that state of mind. In the end, reconciliation takes place and the whole family is reunited. Joseph knew God’s grace and now he was going to extend that grace to his brothers. A lesser man, an unfaithful man, would have had his brothers sold into slavery or thrown into prison. He had the authority to do that and more. In the end, God’s grace is shown through Joseph.

Perspective 3- Barb Miles
Two thoughts have stayed in my mind this week regarding the life of Joseph.

“Tearing their clothing” were expressions of both grief and turmoil. The first time this happened was when Reuben realized Joseph was no longer in the cistern, he was furious with his brothers. He was angry about how his brothers had treated his brother Joseph. The second time was when Jacob’s sons returned Joseph’s robe, learning his favored son Joseph had been devoured by an animal. Jacob tore his clothes and wore sackcloth during his time of grieving. In those days, tearing of their clothes and wearing sackcloth, which was a heavy and itchy material were signs of grieving. The third time was when Jacob’s sons’ tore their clothes when Joseph’s steward apprehended them on their way home from their second trip to Egypt to get food. When the steward found Joseph’s silver cup in Benjamin’s sack, the brothers tore their clothes. When I think of their reaction to anger and grief, I see them being angry, disappointed, lashing out, Jacob wanting to have solitary time with his sadness and grief. Is this different than how we deal with these emotions today? If I am accused of something I didn’t do, or have lost a family member or friend, I choose solitary time, time to process my feelings.

The second thought that has been on my mind while reading this chapter was of Joseph’s trust in the Lord. He trusted God’s path for his life while his brother’s dumped him in a cistern; sold him to Midianite merchants; served as head of Potiphar’s household only to be tricked by Potiphar’s wife; was sent to prison under false charges. God had great plans for Joseph, giving him the power to interpret dreams leading him to be favored with the Egyptian Pharaoh. Joseph was so strong, never appeared to waiver in his allegiance to the Lord, never questioned God’s will. Instead he always gave God credit for his talents.